And the sun was out of reach
by slowrabbits
Summary: NaruHina. He'd been her strength for so long and she doesn't know how she'll go on if her only light will be snuffed out.


**And the sun was out of reach**

_By slowrabbits_

Fatigue weighs her worn body down and lingering fear and misery is evident on her face. She runs. She is dead beat and filthy and sloppy, but still, she runs. Her feet are just about ready to collapse under her, but she isn't going to let that doesn't stop her.

The village has fallen. Mangled bodies and debris are strewn all over the ground and over all of it is a thin, undisturbed layer of snow; a blanket of beauty over the depressing aftermath of war. The nauseating smell of blood and burnt rubber permeates the air and it makes Hinata want to heave. The buildings have crumbled from all the unholy destruction, the roads cracked and many other landmarks destroyed. But that didn't matter too much; stone and metal could be rebuilt. The spirits of the village's inhabitants would be tougher to heal. But nothing is beyond repair so there is hope.

The war is mostly won, but Hinata cannot find it in herself to feel relieved, cheerful.

How could she, in the face of the horrible repercussion of furious, ugly battle? How could she, knowing that most of the people of any importance in her life were gone or heavily injured?

There is an ugly gash on her forehead and rips all over her outfit. Still, she looks like a vision as she rushes through her ruined homeland, dark locks trailing behind her like the ghost of death she had been so narrowly eluding for the past days. She pushes people out of her way, trips on some. She doesn't apologize once. She is worried and she couldn't give a gold-plated crap about manners or niceties right now.

She needs to get to the healing ward.

* * *

All but one of her precious people didn't make it through_. _

_Naruto is in a coma. Things are not looking well for him. _

These are the words that drive a breath-wrenching stake of sorrow into Hinata's heart. She did not miss the lack of reassurances that her husband would live and she was scared.

She is sitting on the skinny bench outside the healing facilities, her head between her knees because it is the first time in weeks that she allows the pain and fear and desperation to wash over her and the deluge of emotion made her weak. Her jelly legs are unable to support her and her heart knocks achingly against her chest. There's nothing left to do but wait. The blissful numb is gone and in its wake is the brutal realization that most of those she loved were gone.

Hiashi, her father, brutally killed by the ruthless men with the fire and illusions.

Kiba, the rowdy boy who unfailingly bought a smile to her lips, took death for his sister when the enemies attacked.

And Sakura. One of Hinata's best friends. Konoha's cherry blossom was killed by a meager little kunai driven into her heart by the boy she loved even after everything he did.

A shudder shakes Hinata's form. Would Naruto be next? Would he follow his parents and his friends to where the spirits roamed and there was only peace?

Hinata tried to suppress the emotions that threaten to ruin her. She doesn't know how she will live without her husband. Their marriage may be young, but their love was long established. He'd been her strength for so long and she doesn't know how she'll go on if her only light will be snuffed out.

The next day, Hinata signs up for medical training and volunteers part of the Hyuuga compound to use as a temporary medical ward.

* * *

_Three months later._

She is a nurse now, and a good one. With every rise of the sun come new men and women to be treated from the leftover violence of war at the village limits. Seeing a person's innards spilling out from a cut open gut doesn't make Hinata nauseous anymore, nor do obscene amounts of blood make her queasy. She considers the hypocrisy of her new occupation; how just months before she was ending and endangering lives and now she vigorously tries to help save the people who are to weak and damaged to even ask for help.

From the room to her right, she hears a deranged scream. It doesn't alarm Hinata anymore. She is already used to the survivors waking up in cold sweat, still trapped in the nightmare of wartime. They scream and desperately claw their way out of their maddening delusions and Hinata knows better than to think that she can help them. No one can. No one has the antidote for those who have witnessed tremendous fear, lived in it.

Even time and love are debatable nursemaids for insanity.

The medic Hinata shadows doesn't look up when she tells the former heiress to pay it no mind; the screams will stop in a while.

* * *

It is almost two months later when she hears that Naruto has woken up.

Hinata quickly finishes her rounds so she can see for herself.

* * *

Hinata's anxiety leaves her incapable of paying attention to her work so she waits outside the Jinchuuriki's room until the healers leave.

It doesn't take long for them to finish with Naruto. Hinata bolts up jerkily from her seat.

"Tsunade-sama," she greets the old, worn-looking woman respectfully, unable to keep the impatience from her voice. "What's his status?"

"Naruto," she exhales. Her hands are trembling because it is so good to see the love of her life alive. Suddenly, her world isn't so gray anymore; her chest doesn't hurt so much. "You're okay."

The young man on the bed, surrounded by crumpled bed sheets looks to his healer questioningly, then redirects his gaze back to the lady before him.

"Do I know you?"

Hinata doesn't feel Tsunade's consoling hand on her shoulder.

* * *

_"He doesn't remember anything. The amnesia might be temporary, but you can never know with these things. He's strong and young; he'll heal wonderfully, given time. Do__n__ot__ cry, child, at least he's alive."_

* * *

**AN: **Because NaruHina feels. I know I've been absent from the fanfiction world. I've been struggling with a mental disorder and I'm still coming to terms with it. Couple that with college and life well and truly sucks.

But meh, I'm planning on writing again. So bear with me. I love you all. :D


End file.
